


Fade Silently

by BenaddictedCumberbabe



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness - Fandom
Genre: Be the OC, Become the OC, Doctor Who reference, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-09
Updated: 2013-07-15
Packaged: 2017-12-18 07:01:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/876963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BenaddictedCumberbabe/pseuds/BenaddictedCumberbabe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(John Harrison/Khan X Reader/OC)</p><p>In which a young woman finds herself awaking a man of dreadful power. (Post-Star Trek Into Darkness) Young, spirited Allora Evans is an old fashioned romantic. She loves her job, but has a caring heart. Knowing a family is locked away in a warehouse near on her facility's grounds becomes worrisome. She attempts to help, but ends up in a different situation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Curiousity Kills

**As a cadet,** they ask you this: "Could you kill someone?"  
Yes. To defend myself and my planet. Yes. I've stuck to that from my bleak cadet days to my years as a Captain. After the Khan incident, though, things have changed for me. I now go to work knowing a whole family of people are frozen and stored on our grounds.  
It bothers me. Yes, they're strong. Yes, they're determined. Yes, one of them tried to kill us. They love one another, though. They're human. You can't just ignore that.  
As a Captain, I've decided to escort them to a new planet under Star Fleet's permission. They stressed I was not to engage in affairs with the life forms, though. I was also to wait a few years or so until Star Fleet finds a suitable planet.  
  

  It seems the super-humans' blood is of great worth, as well. The Doctors have taken generous samples from each sleeping icicle. It disturbs me. I once took medical classes. One of the first rules you learn is that you never start a procedure without consent from the patient. Let us not forget these are unconscious people, and they are having they're blood practically stolen. The situation is unquestionably wrong. I knew I wouldn't be able to wait that long until I could ship them out. I was curious. What kind of personalities did they have? What did they look like? Khan had been rather normal, save his stiff, bulging muscles. He had also been rather good looking...God, what was I thinking?! He killed many...but it was all for his family.  
As much as I hate to say it, he wasn't all that bad...He was a clever man. He helped us, even though it was almost to his advantage. He tried saving his kind. At the end of the day, he was human. Capable of emotions. Keeping all of them frozen was as good as killing them all. I decided they shouldn't have to live like vegetables...And I couldn't wait to just free one of them.

• • •

  It was surprisingly easy to get in to the warehouse that contained all those cryogenic pods. Perhaps it was because I knew how to effectively damage technology and security systems. Actually finding those containers was the hard part. The warehouse was long, dim lit, and packed with rows of shelves. I stumbled about the building as quietly as possible, wearing a pair of borrowed night vision goggles. I didn't want to risk taking a flashlight.  
I breathed shallowly if at all. Ten minutes in to my search, I nearly tripped over a capsule. I put a hand to it carefully. Cold. That was it. I removed the goggles to take a closer look. There was a glass window at the top. As I looked through it, I smirked. I had found them. I moved away, searching for a particular face.  
One with high cheekbones and Cupid bow lips. I peeked in to each capsule. By at least the 50th, I felt like giving up. I summoned my willpower, pressing on. I finally approached the last one. I sighed, peering in. It was him. A smile bloomed on my face.  
  

  I looked at the sides of the capsule, looking for the correct button. I had to do this. I had to explain to him what we would do. We couldn't just drop them all off in the middle of space so they can rouse to confusion.  
I found the button I wanted, pressing it tentatively. A soft hiss echoed throughout the room. I felt cold, smoky air blow out gently from the metal container. I grasped the side of the capsule, heaving it's door open. I grimaced as I heard it's hinges screech. His crystal eyes snapped open, his chest rising dramatically as he inhaled a deep breath. As the door opened as far as possible, my grip still on it, he looked at me. I stared back. His eyes really were something unique. What did they call that? Heterochromia? They were like frozen lakes, blue with green peeking out in some areas.The observant, paralyzing look left his face, and his lips twitched in to a smirk. He sat up slowly, eyes locked with mine. My arms fell to my sides, my body keeping itself at attention.

  "You're foolish. Giving in to curiosity." He declared after a swift look around the room.

  He stood, and I didn't budge away. Our bodies were barely an inch apart.

  "...Or risking your life to help us. Or you've been given orders." He finished.

  We held our eye contact.

  "Maybe all of the above." I answered.

  He let out a snort. His hands grasped my arms, thrusting me to a metal beam holding up the warehouse ceiling. I flinched, but didn't struggle.

  "Why should I believe that? You're probably here to execute us!" He spat.

  "Because I'm not yelling for help. I haven't got a phone on me to call for help, either." I stated simply.

  His grip loosened on one arm.

  "If you're lying, I will hurt you. Badly. Crush you so hard you will scream for mercy. And I won't stop."

  I swallowed, looking down.

  "I promise I'm not lying."

  "Show me. Turn your pockets out."

  One of his hands slipped away. I freely moved my hand to my slacks' pockets. I turned all four pockets outwards. A couple of coins fell out and hit the ground. The tinkling sound echoed among the warehouse.He watched intently. It was flustering, seeing such a handsome man look at you so closely. Not to mention he had me cornered... Satisfied to let me go completely, he backed off. His gaze never left.

  "Why would you help me?" He asked, his tone cold.

  "Because I care...you and your family are all breathing, somewhat emotional people. It hurts to think that my workplace has a family confined to sleep for an eternity. So I asked if I could take all of you to another planet with my ship. The Starfleet finally said yes, but they won't let me do it without their input of choices."

  "Then why release me now? I could get up to so much thanks to you." He smirked, chuckling lowly.

  "Because I didn't think it was right to just drop you all off somewhere without explaining it to one of you."

  Khan nodded slowly after giving me a look over.

  "You're coming with me, though." He growled, grabbing my hand.

  "You will stay for at least a month. If the planet proves to be unsuitable, you will relocate us."

  "Fair enough." I stated firmly.

  His grip on my hand didn't loosen.

  "We need to go back to the Klingon planet."

  "Why?" My brows furrowed.

  Klingons hated humans. We almost went to war because Admiral Marcus was so bent on the idea. Going back now was asking to be killed. I watched him pick up a transporting device from the shelf next to the pods. We had confiscated that from him before.

  "I've left a few things there." He answered, beginning to tug me away towards the exit.

  "You do realize the danger of going there, right? You better be pretty damn stealthy." I hissed, "I'm already risking my life for you and your crew. Don't screw this up, or none of this will be worth it."

  He gave me a wry smirk.

  "You're not implying that I should protect you, are you? Aren't you a captain? I should have known how weak you Starfleet members can be...take Captain Kirk for example. He thinks the best way to settle things is to punch his enemy over and over."

  "It would be appreciated if we protected each other and cooperated during the visit." I replied cooly.

  "Very well." He chuckled, pulling me outside, "Is that your car?"

  "Yes, get in."

  He glanced around, noticing all the broken security cameras. Khan slowly got in to my car. I hurriedly got in on the driver's side.

  "We need to go back to my place before doing anything. You need a disguise." I explained.

  "Fine. Then we must teleport back to the Klingon planet."

  "We will, calm down." I assured him, beginning to nonchalantly drive away.


	2. Settling Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allora takes Khan in to hiding.

**"What** is your name anyway?" Khan asked as they drove on to the main road. 

  "Allora. Allora Evans. And you're Khan...or John Harrison."

  "Khan." He replied, "As the first one woken up, I am the leader; therefore, I take the name Khan." 

  She nodded, glancing at him. They were quiet for a while. 

  "Won't you be arrested? It doesn't seem like you'd should have me awake and with you." He said loosely. 

  "Possibly. Not if you keep your mouth shut and stay out of sight. I don't think I mentioned this, but I wasn't supposed to interact with any of you."

  His lips twisted with amusement. 

  "Very well...I suppose I could stay under cover. How long will it take for them to find a planet?"

  "Usually up to 1-2 years." She sighed. 

  "That's a ridiculous amount of time." He hissed, "Can't we speed up the process?!"

  "Yes. That's another reason why I awoke you. You can tell me what you need so they don't have to research your bodies."

  "Won't they ask you how you obtained the data?"

  "Probably...so I'll hint at planets...that should terminate some time..."

  He huffed, relaxing in the seat. She noticed he was clutching the center console firmly. 

  "Hey...Don't worry." Allora placed her free hand beside his, fingers resting on top of his.

  "We'll save them eventually..." She added softly. 

  He studied their hands with a puzzled look, eyebrows knitted together. Khan felt his icy heart crack from warmth. Was he feeling a heart murmur developing, as well? Why was his heart skipping a beat? The man looked away and out the window. He knew what it was...A crush? Attraction? Didn't he have that long ago to a woman of his kind? A numb feeling washed over him as he realized his old life was like a dream. Although he was younger than most of the other Augments, carrying 336 years instead of 600-something, he had already lost a bit of memory. Perhaps it would come back in scraps. His eyes sneaked looks at her. The sun was rising. She must have come very early in the morning to fetch him. It illuminated her soft, sharp features. Her hair was a light chestnut, wavy, and down to her shoulders. Her eyes were glossed and a forest green. She was at least a head or so shorter and had a muscular tone.They pulled in to a driveway of a nice small house. It was at least 3 stories high, had a garage, and a wall going around the property's perimeter. Vines grew across the walls, and part of the wall came out to fence in the back yard as well. A gate to the back garden stood along the driveway with the wall. Allora pulled in to her garage, allowing Khan to study the interior. It was barely full of anything else but boxes. A few tool kits sat off to the side by the door to the house. She turned the engine off and looked over at him. 

  "You're not married, are you?" He said suddenly, "There's barely anything here even though you're paid well..."

  She blushed slightly, got out of the car, and pocketed her keys. 

  "The silence tells me I'm correct..." He drawled, his lips curving upwards. 

  Allora led him inside, closing the garage at the press of a button. The room they entered was a small laundry room. She slid her boots off on to a mat that was held down by other shoes. All of them were of course hers. Khan respectfully slid off his own, cringing. He hadn't showered in ages. God knows what he smelled like. Dusty books? Metal and rust? She padded in to a kitchen connected to it. The kitchen was rather nice, the floor made of rich brown planks of wood. A fridge stood against the wall closest to the laundry room door. A sink was beside it, a curtained window above it. Cabinets hung from above the neighboring counters. Another set of hollow counters made an L shape on the right. One part was a bar with stools. The stove against the wall that separated the laundry room and kitchen was in the L formation, too. Behind the bar and stools was a small breakfast table, and behind those was a set of French doors that opened to a patio. 

  "Hungry?" She asked, light streaming through and making her hair glow. 

  "I thought we were coming here for my disguise." Khan said sourly, diverting his eyes to the floor. 

  Allora sighed, rolling her eyes as she leant against the counter. 

  "Yeah, but I thought after being locked up for so long that you'd be hungry."

  He blinked. Oh. Right. She was being polite...Inviting him in. He bit the inside of his lip momentarily before nodding. 

  "Breakfast would be appreciated." He retorted. 

  Allora noticed he was standing rather awkwardly in the door way still, so she beckoned him to come deeper in to her house. He did, his footsteps surprisingly silent against the floor. From there he saw that the kitchen was rather open, complimenting the rather large living room beside it. The living room had book shelves lined up against it's walls and a fireplace. A TV hung above the fireplace, a couch across from it. There were two tall windows displaying the back garden on either side. A spiral staircase was tucked in to the corner farthest from the kitchen.   
The front door was just opposite of it, and the room that wasn't accessible from the laundry room happened to be a dining room. 

  "There's a room upstairs across from mine that you can use..." She nodded to the staircase, "A pile of clothing should be on the bed. I'm sorry if they're not the right size. I got a few different sets, though, so hopefully one set will fit..."

  He watched her bring out a pan, bowl, and ingredients from the fridge and cabinets. She moved so carefully, as if trying to impress him. Strange. Maybe she was usually clumsy...or Khan was seeing things. He had been frozen for so long. 

  "There's also an ensuite bathroom. Feel free to use the shower if you'd like. I left towels and soap in there, too." She smiled shyly, but only for a brief moment. 

  Then she was whisking away at something - eggs, milk, flour. That had to be a pastry. Probably pancakes. He stiffly nodded a thank you and walked past her, in to the living room and up the stairs. The stairs were wooden planks as well, and Khan couldn't help but wonder what he'd do but fall if they broke under his weight. He then realized Allora had never said which room was hers. He went with the one on the left, the one facing the front yard. The door opened with a soft click. Of course, it was Allora's. His breath hitched gently, still hearing her whisk away. There was a distinct noise of the turning of notches, too. She was still cooking and hadn't heard then. Khan slowly walked in. She had a bunk bed...Strange for a grown woman. He snorted a laugh, but remembered she was only around 25. The bunk bed had a desk and drawer set underneath it instead of another bed. Plastic glow in the dark stars were plastered to the ceiling. The walls were a soft cotton candy blue, two windows overlooking her front lawn.   
  

  So this was living in California? He looked at the desk. Pictures. A laptop. Several books of different kinds. A cup of writing utensils. A vanity was on the opposites wall, as well as a wardrobe. In between the wardrobe and vanity was a door to the bathroom. It smelled nice in her room...like her, of course. A floral cherry...Cherry blossom? He wondered why he had come in here. To get an idea of what kind of person she was, he guessed. Khan looked over to the wardrobe. Her Starfleet uniform hung from one of it's open doors. His hand reached up to it and traced the fabric.   
He stopped himself. What had come over him?! He left, treading gently, and shut the door. Khan entered the guest room across the hall. It was a mirrored version of her room, but the walls were a soft pastel green. A queen bed was across from the bathroom door.   
  

  All the furniture was a chocolate brown, making the room have a comfy, at-home feel. It reminded him of coffee. He saw the clothing and spread them across the bed. They were quite nice...All of them seemed to be formal. He decided to try them on after a shower. He stepped inside the bathroom, eagerly stripping off his clothes. It had the same coffee shop colors theme. He laid a step towel on to the mocha tiles before turning the shower on. He placed his clothes in a laundry basket beside the bathroom door. He stepped in to the tub, shuddering as the hot water rolled down his body. God, it had been forever since he had felt this clean and refreshed. He closed his eyes, tilting his face in to the flowing water.

  Khan soaked his hair before looking at the soap and shampoo. There was cinnamon body wash and apple shampoo with added conditioner. Wonderful. He'd smell like a desert. Rolling his eyes out of embarrassment, he gladly washed himself with the provided liquids. He finished up rather quickly, remembering hot water didn't last forever. Khan hopped out, sliding a towel over himself to dry off. A brush, toothpaste, and a toothbrush were also on the counter. She really did want to make him comfy, didn't she? Or clean...He headed back in to the guest room. A soft gasp was heard from the doorway. His head snapped over to the sound, only to see Allora there with her eyes covered. He subconsciously grabbed his towel that he had wrapped around his waist. 

  "Breakfast is ready..." She said almost inaudibly before retreating downstairs. 

  He blinked. Was her face pink? That's...a sign of embarrassment. Most likely attraction. Because he had been shirtless. Well then. He pulled on his clothes, grateful for the new pairs of underwear he had also received. Moments later he went downstairs, looking over to the breakfast table. Allora was placing down plates of pancakes, a tub of ice cream in the center of the table. Khan went over and sat down. He inspected the food. Seemed safe. She noticed his gaze set on the products in front of him. 

  "I didn't poison them." She said firmly, but calmly. 

  He glanced up at her, feeling embarrassed. He was only observing. He hid any emotions he felt once more.

  "I was just...deducing that you seem to like sweets. In the event that you're just trying to coax me in to consuming them, though, feel free to have a bit." 

  She smiled and walked over, standing beside him. Allora began cutting up the fluffy pastry, popping a piece in her mouth. 

  "There." She smiled cheekily after swallowing. 

  An excited glint shone in his eyes for a second. 

  "And the ice cream?" He let a smirk show, giving her a mocking look. 

  She gestured to it, "The tub hasn't been opened." 

  Allora ripped the seal off and the lid, scooping out a couple scoops for her plate. She gave him a fork she hadn't used with a knife. 

  "Help yourself." She smiled, sitting and eating. 

  The scooper had been left stuck in the frozen treat. His digits wrapped around the handle after a while, taking generous scoops. He remembered that she was a normal human, and that he probably looked selfish. This made him glance at her again. 

  "Go on. I know you need to eat a lot. You can even have the whole tub." She smiled and went back to eating. 

  Quickly, he devoured the food gratefully. Allora stifled a giggle, seeing a bit of cream on the side of his lip. Khan gave her a raised brow, making it even more comical. She let her giggling loose, leaning over and wiping his mouth with a napkin. He blinked, looking down at her hand in confusion. 

  "You had a bit of cream there..." She explained, drawing back. 

  He let out a soft 'oh', looking away. God, what was that feeling he had around her? She cleared her throat offhandedly and stood, clearing the table. 

  "When do you plan to visit the Klingon planet?" She asked after a clatter of dishes. 

  "Soon, preferably." 

  "Very well..."

  He stood, still avoiding her eyes. 

  "Thank you...for...all this." He said quietly. 

  "No problem at all..." She replied, her back turned. 

  He went out to her car and brought back the transporter. 


	3. Qo'noS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To Qo'noS we go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (It's spelled Qo'noS, pronounced Kronos.)

  **Allora** and Khan went to a windowless room: the attic.

  "So...how does this work?" She hovered over the device.

  "We teleport by simply the push of a button." He replied, "Take my hand."

  She swallowed, blushing at how straightforward he was. Her eyes studied the hand he held out to her.

  "...I'm not going to bite you." He drawled, a flicker of amusement shining in his eyes.

  Her face only darkened as she slipped her hand in his. His was surprisingly soft, long fingers wrapping around the back of her palm. He wasn't joking when he said "at the push of a button". He typed something in to the machine, then he picked it up.

  "Now, push that red button and hold on to it, too." He instructed firmly, bringing it closer to Allora.

  She did so quickly, wrapping her other hand around his hand that held the device. Suddenly, orange light enveloped them as they were transported to Qo'noS. She shut her eyes, leaning towards him subconciously. She didn't like the idea of a little machine beaming them around. Allora trusted her ship way more. Within seconds, they went from her musty attic to a deserted cave. She looked around, one of her hands dropping to her side. It was quiet and dimly lit there. Khan noticed she wasn't letting go anytime soon, and led her farther in to the hollow area. She gasped lightly as her foor hit something in the dark-something made of glass. It made an echoing tingling noise as it rolled across the unseen ground. Khan stopped them, leaning down. He set down the transporter, groping for the object. He retrieved it, trying to map out the object through touch.

  "Just a test tube." He told her quietly.

  Allora shuddred at his voice although it was gentle. Khan had a bone chilling baritone to begin with, but when it was amplified, it was undescribable.

  "Is there a problem with me being interested in chemistry? Perhaps experiments? You act as if you're disturbed." He purred, now dangeroulsy closer as far as Allora could tell.

  "Of course not, I was just...cold." She sputtered, feeling him stand still. 

  After he studied her as best as he could in the dark, he slipped his hand out of hers. Allora gulped, listening for footsteps. Had she angered him? Was he going to leave her here? She couldn't see the entrance to the cave anymore, and even when they had first arrived it seemed to be far away. She heard a shuffle of clothing, and then she felt fabric against her shoulders. 

  "Put this on..." He whispered, his breath hitting her ear. 

  She blushed darkly and nodded even though he couldn't see her. Her hands reached up, pushing themselves in to the sleeves of the trench coat she had initially gotten for him. She murmured a thank you. Khan pocketed the tube and held her hand again, pulling her deeper in to the mountain. 

  "Where are we going...?" She muttered. 

  "I'm looking for a lantern I left on a table in here when I had set up a hiding place...I'll flick it on and collect my things." He explained.   
#

  He stopped suddenly, shooting a hand out. Allora hesitantly put a hand forward, feeling the surface. A table. There was a soft click of a switch, and light filled the room. Allora was blinded temporarily, turning and brushing her head against Khan's shoulder. 

  "That's bright for a lantern..." She remarked. 

  "Not really...Just bright because you weren't really expecting it." He muttered distantly. 

  She sighed and looked up again. Her eyes adjusted to see the table she had felt. A few feet in front of it was a cot. There was another table to the right of the cave pushed against the clay colored wall. That table had several jars with specimens, test tubes in their stands, and a couple of burners. 

  "I got bored while staying here time to time..." He explained in a hoarse voice, letting go of her hand once again. 

  Khan wandered over to them, setting the lamp beside them on the table. His fingers drifted over a few items before he gestured for her to come closer. Allora did so carefully, not wanting to knock over any of his equipment. He slipped some of the items in to the pockets on the coat. She shivered again as his hands brushed past her body indirectly. He cocked an eyebrow, but continued to stash his belongings. 

  _Stop it_ , she thought to herself, _He's only packing up his stuff. If you hadn't taken his coat, he would have done this anyway._

  "I can experiment in your cellar if it makes you feel better." He offered. 

  She reluctantly nodded.  
  

  "I'd rather you spill all this on concrete than wood or carpet." She admitted, chuckling. 

  He felt his face heat slightly at her laugh. Khan quickly pushed the feeling away. He needed to focus. He stopped, fitting most of his possesions in to the coat's outside pockets. 

  "Are there any inside pockets?" He questioned, looking at her curiously. 

  She blushed as his eyes went over her body.

_STOP!,_ she hissed to herself in her head.

  Allora nodded and opened the coat. He managed to fit a couple more items in. The augment then looked around his old hideout once more. 

  "We're done here." He claimed, switching the lantern off. 

  She blinked rapidly, not startled as he took her hand and led her back to the transporter. He instructed her to hold it this time as he pushed a single return button, grasping the object. His hand laid on hers as they transported back in almost no time at all.

* * *

   Allora led Khan to the cellar, heading downstairs. He followed swiftly behind her, now holding his bundled, lumpy coat that she had returned. Inside the laundry room was a door Khan had vaguely remembered. Allora opened it, revealing the stairs to the basement. 

  "I don't usually go down here..." She muttered, "It's too lonely and creepy..."

  She flicked on a light, leading him down a flight of stairs. At the bottom he saw the basement had a couch and television on one side. There were a few tables in the middle of the room, boxes on the other side. A few chairs were stored there, one or two pulled up against the tables. A few small windows trimmed the tops of the walls, showing mostly grass, but letting light in. She probably used this room for social gatherings.

  "There...a perfect workspace for you." Allora smiled, patting a table after reaching the bottom.

  Khan set his jacket down on it with care and nodded. 

  "Yes, thank you..." He mumbled, sitting, "If you don't mind, I'd like to set my equipment up now..."  
  

  Allora smiled shyly and nodded. She crossed the room to the side with the couch. 

  "There's a door here to the back garden." She opened a door that led to a set of stairs. 

  "There's a set of cellar doors past a flight of stairs in here." She went on, walking back over to him. 

  He nodded stiffly. 

  "Would you like privacy?" 

  "I suppose...I'm rather parched though..." He grumbled, arranging his test tubes. 

  Allora nodded and dashed upstairs. He sighed. A year of this? He couldn't last that long...but he would. He would for his family...

* * *

  Allora came down hours later after giving him a cup of water. Khan didn't look up even when he heard the creaking of the steps. He was carefully pouring a pink fluid in to a dark red liquid. She noticed how absorbed he was with his work, silently sitting beside him.

  "Hungry?" She asked after a few moments of silence.

  "...A bit." He said flatly, furrowing his brows, "Weren't you just here?"

  "No...That was a few hours ago. It's lunch time, and I was wondering if you were okay with pizza." She intently watched his hands as they set the tube over a burner.

  "Pizza?" He drew his hands back to the edge of the table, looking at her.

  Allora smiled softly at his puzzled expression.

  "Its dough with tomato sauce and cheese on top. Sometimes it comes with slices of sausage and/or vegetables." She explained, moving her hands in a circular motion.

  He nodded slowly, "That sounds appetizing."

  She pulled out her cell phone. Allora then took a menu brochure from her pocket and slid it over to him.

  "Which one would you like to try?"

  He opened the folded paper gently, studying the list. What did he like? Khan wasn't so sure...

  "What do you recommend?" He asked, setting it down.

  "Pepperoni -which is sausage- or cheese. I can always get both on one pizza." She suggested.

  He nodded absentmidedly. Allora dialed a nearby pizza restaurant and ordered the meal. He went back to his experiment, watching the bubbles boil in the tube, but with less enthusiasm. She wasn't annoying, but distracting. In a...good way? Khan's eyes drifted over to her as she hung up.

  "It should be delievered within 15 minutes...Want to take a break and come upstairs?"

  "Yes." He turned the burners off.

  He slowly stood, his legs a bit numb. She did the same, leading him up the stairs. The shorter of the two turned on the television before heading in to the kitchen. Khan glanced at it, cocking his head slightly as he stopped to stand behind the couch. He heard Allora taking dishes out of the cabinets and setting them on the table. On screen a man in a ridiculous outfit (that was obviously a bit too old for him) was running around with some kind of green flashlight. Khan took interest and sat down on the couch. He watched as the man rambled on about things he had never heard of, space, and time travel. He snorted at some of the things the man said, and soon discovered the man's name was the Doctor.

_Doctor who, though?_ , he thought briskly.

   Allora came over and sat beside him, smiling.

  "This is my favorite episode of _Doctor Who_..." She cooed, leaning back with her feet on the coffee table.

  "It's rather silly," He commented, "Who travels in a box? And the name of the show is _Doctor Who_ , meaning the man just goes by the Doctor?"

  She giggled, looking over at him.

  "It's just a show and they're all acting. It doesn't _have_ to be realistic...although the emotions the show causes are real." She replied softly.

  He looked back at the screen, watching the man desperately break down after trying to save someone. A familiar pang shot through Khan's body, and he shifted uncomfortably. Allora rested a hand on his arm tentatively. He risked a look at her from his peripheral vision. She was respectfully keeping her gaze downwards at her feet, knowing what he was probably reminded of. His lips parted to say something, then he closed them again. The door bell rang, and she got up, walking past him to the door.


	4. Mutual Protection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Khan rediscovers emotions that aren't platonic.

**Khan** had loved the pizza. He had half of the pizza, requesting more for dinner. Allora had been taken by surprise, but laughed and nodded. 

  As they were eating it for lunch, he asked, "Those cameras looked broken as we left the warehouse...Don't you think someone will notice?"

  Allora stopped eating, swallowed, and wiped her mouth. 

  "They only seemed to be broken," She explained, "I knocked them offline. I put in footage of the warehouse from another day to replace the gap. I only had them off for about twenty five minutes to half an hour, so it wasn't too bad."

  He smirked wryly, nodding. 

  "Clever." He complimented her, wiping his own mouth.

  She smiled sheepishly, blushing. He had come to realize she did in fact care for him. He didn't know why. Maybe she was sympathetic, living out here alone. That night, after an afternoon of toying with his equipment and having three quarters of a pizza for dinner, he laid down on her guest bed. His mind was pumping with ideas as he closed his eyes. What would it be like when he and his family finally settled down? They'd need supplies to build houses and buildings...Then a flashback came to him. He was in his own room, doing his first experiments. They had been for one of his class projects in university. He had to try to make a balm that would immediately heal cuts and scratches after being applied. As augments, they usually didn't have a problem with healing on their own within a short time period. He guessed it was just a simple test to get them in the mood, and it was beneficial if done properly. He remembered his professor telling them how their planet's version of Starfleet used it during emergencies...  
  

  Suddenly, he heard a creak of a door. The vague memory vanished as his brain pulled up recent events. After dinner, Allora had cleaned up and went to her room to shower. Khan had enough of television after a few lonely minutes and had wandered upstairs to his room as well. Perhaps she was done. He got up and cracked his door, a warm scent traveling in to his room. Oh, how nice...She smelled divine. Like cherry blossom again. He looked out. Allora's door was closed, but he could hear her moving. She was trying to be quiet, but Khan had sensitive hearing. He smiled to himself. 

_Perhaps she believes I'm asleep...How sweet._

  He closed his door again, hearing the movement of fabrics. Khan blushed and laid down, pulling a pillow over his head. 

 _I_ _s_ _houldn't listen in on her,_ He scolded himself. 

  A few moments later, there was a knock on his door. He mumbled for her to come in. Allora opened the door slowly. 

 _Hesitant...Anxious,_ He thought, looking up and setting the pillow down. 

  Khan sat up on the bed, and her eyes widened again. She didnt budge, clutching the door still. He was right. She was very nervous. 

  "I'm sorry, were you asleep?" She asked softly.

  "No...I suppose I should doze soon. This is the most comfortable bed I've had in a while." He answered. 

  She smiled at him reluctantly, her eyes softening. 

  "I should leave you to that...I just wanted to wish you good night before I went to bed..."

  He allowed to show her a small brief smile. 

  "Ah. Sleep well." He replied awkwardly. 

  "You as well..." She muttered, slowly closing the door. 

 _Maybe she is attracted to me_ , he thought, still staring at where she stood. 

  A blush creeped on to his face, and he inwardly groaned, throwing himself back on to the bed. Had she given him pajamas? He looked under the pillows, feeling something lumpy.   
Khan stuck his hand underneath the pillow and brought out a gray T-shirt and blue plaid bottoms. He changed in to them gingerly. She hadn't returned her room...Khan hadn't heard her door. He laid in bed, fighting the impulse to check on her. He heard a creak from the stairs, but ignored it. It was her house. She didn't have to sleep just yet. Maybe she was uncomfortable sleeping on the same floor as him. Khan tried to not think of more reasons for her to go downstairs because of him. He crawled under the soft sheets and absently snuggled an extra pillow to his chest. He buried his face in it, listening to the sounds around him.

  There was a pond or pool outside, it's water rippling. There was a nest of birds in a tree in the back yard as well, the birds singing lullabies to their young. The neighbors were arguing in their yard over where to put their own pond...Then there was a sound within their own house. A muffled sniffling. He sat up. Was that Allora? Had she gone downstairs...to cry? Maybe she was embarrassed to cry in a nearby room. He opened his door, going downstairs. He sat on the steps halfway down. He leaned around the corner, gazing down at her. She was curled up around a pillow on the couch, her face in it as she sniffled. Her body was trembling ever so slightly. 

 _What could she possibly...Oh. Maybe..._  
 

  He quietly went down the rest of the stairs. Her body stiffened, and he placed a hand on her back, stroking it softly. 

_Why am I...?_

  He remembered a flashback of his own mother comforting him this way. It only lasted a few seconds. He sighed and sat beside her. 

  "What's wrong?" He asked gently. 

  She sat up and avoided looking at him, shivering from his touch. 

  "I'm afraid...If Starfleet finds out, they'll fire me...maybe imprison or execute me..." She stared at the fireplace as if it was the most terrifying object she had seen. 

  "...Find out about me? Then they'll have a reason to kill all my crew...to prevent them from being awakened..." 

  She nodded, her heart clenching in emotional pain. A small strangled whimper came from the back of her throat. All he could think of was himself and his family...but of course he would. She mentally shook her head at herself. 

 _He doesn't have to bother with you. You volunteered yourself,_ She told herself. 

  Khan could practically see her inner conflict, realizing how selfish he had sounded. He quickly wrapped his arms around her, bringing her to his chest. His hand stroked her hair. 

  "...I'll protect you. They don't stand a chance against me. After all, it's the least I can do...you're risking your life for me and my family..." He whispered softly, her head against his so that he was whispering in to her ear. 

  She shook, her arms wrapping tightly around his middle. She shifted her face in to his shoulder. 

  _She's so warm. And vulnerable..._ He thought, brushing her hair still with his hand, _She really does care...No one could fake all that generousity..._

After a few more strokes of her hair, Allora had settled in to him. Khan held her from the small of her back, letting her lay on him as he sat back. She was probably asleep. He closed his eyes, adjusted a pillow, and tried to think again. If he moved, he would wake her. Instead, he fell in to a slumber himself.

* * *

  Allora was up before him, making breakfast the next morning. He sat up, stretching.

  "Waffles?" She offered as she walked over, pan in hand.

  He eyed them curiously.

  "Are they like pancakes?"

  "A bit...not as fluffy, though. You can have them with ice cream and syrup, too." She explained, heading back to the kitchen.

  Allora divided them up on plates, giving more to him as expected.

  Khan got to his feet, grudingly sitting at the table.

  He had a stack of the waffles, a ton of syrup, and half of the tub of ice cream. Allora had finished consuming her breakfast before him, so she cleaned up and sat back down with him. She tried not to stare, looking out the open French doors. 

  "Thank you, by the way...For what you said and did last night...I was beginning to think that I..." She trailed off, studying nothing in particular outside. 

  "That you?" He promptly urged her, finishing his portion. 

  "It's nothing..." She looked at the table cloth. 

  "No, it's obviously something that's bothering you. What is it?" He stood and brought his own plate to the sink. 

  Allora stood and faced in an opposite direction: the stairs.

  "I was beginning to think you were taking advantage of me...That you didn't see any personal emotions in the situation."

  He was silent. 

  "Not at first, no...Out of fear and determination." He admitted, walking over. 

  She nodded, smiling gently, "I understand..." 

  They stood in front of the staircase quietly for a moment. 

  "It's very hot out...would you like to go in the swimming pool out back?" She asked, beaming and looking up at him. 

  He blinked before nodding hesitantly. 

  "I suppose that would be nice."  
 

  She bounded up the stairs, Khan in tow. They went to their rooms. Khan investigated the drawers of his nightstands, discovering more clothing. A pair of sky blue trunks were obtained and equipped. Meanwhile, Allora stared in to her wardrobe drawers, biting her lip. What would she wear? Her modest tankini? Well, one suits were a possibility. Bikinis weren't too modest. Tankini it was. She slipped the dark green top and bottom on after discarding her night clothes. The top was decorated with the sewed images of vines trimming it's edges. The straps were made to resemble vines. It had a flowing fabric underneath the place the cups for the bosom were. It fluttered down just past her belly button. She had a skirt like bottom with bows that also resembled vines on either side of the waist band. There. Modest.   
  

  They met at the back door. Allora held a stack of towels to her chest subconsciously as she led him in to the backyard. It was a beautiful garden. They stepped out on to a patio with a picnic table and set of benches. There were two trees in each corner of the walls around the area with swings. A pool was centered in the middle, closer to the house. Towards the back in between the trees was a rainbow of roses growing on a wooden gazebo. Inside was a swinging bench, concealed by the vines and flowers hanging over the entrance. Khan observed the details of her garden, noticing she even had little oriental styled stone houses and more flower bushes beside the patio and house, filling that last corner. Allora set the towels down on the concrete beside the shallow end of the pool's stairs. She tip toed in, her body shuddering and hands quickly grasping her arms. 

  "Although it's hot out, it's quite warm in here." She called to him. 

  He looked towards her, slowly moving over there and in to the pool. His presence created a large ripple in the pool. Khan then noticed her swimsuit and couldn't help but think that she most certainly was a part of the beautiful garden. Like a plant growing here. He on the other hand was something foreign. Something taken in to the environment although different and modified. Like the pool...

  His thoughts were interrupted by her playfully slashing him. He blinked, looking at her in a bewildered fashion. She quickly swam underwater, off to the deeper end.

 _Oh. A game,_ He allowed a smile, chasing after his offender.

  He swiftly scooped an arm around her waist, picking her out of the water. She squealed, grinning at him. 

  "Well, that's new." She laughed gently, paddling out of his grasp. 

 

  "How so?" He asked, cocking his head as he tread water. 

  "Usually people splash back, but that's okay." She giggled and demonstrated. 

  He tried it himself, gently, spurring her to sputter as the water hit her. She wiped her face, still smiling. 

_Good. I haven't done anything too wrong yet._

  He swam around the deep end, water making his hair and pale skin glisten in the sunlight. It had been ages since he swam. He remembered doing it with his family at a beach once. The water was crystal clear and teal. Before he could continue imagining the white sand and green waves, Allora tossed something in the pool with a smacking sound. He looked over. Two plastic inflatable beds were now floating in the water. She carefully got on one, nudging the other one to him. He led it to the shallow end, trying it. He mimicked her, laying on his stomach. 

  "You don't have to use it, but they're nice."She told him, her hands paddling in the water lazily.

  He nodded. Did Allora have family? As they lay there, resting, he thought about it. There were many pictures around the house of you looked carefully. Most were located in the dining room, a few in the living room, and some in the hallway upstairs. He tried to recall who were in those photos. He sighed, turning to her. 

  "Allora, do you have a family?" He asked quietly. 

  His plastic cot bumped in to hers as he came closer to her. She looked up at him and smiled softly. 

  "Yes, but they're scattered around the universe. I have a travel-frenzy family." 

  He nodded, watching her for a while. 

  "Did they abandon you?" He asked quietly. 

  "In a way...They still visit, but not often enough, I suppose. So I tagged along...Made my own adventures...went in to Starfleet..." She stopped there, stretching. 

  "Ready for lunch?"


	5. Browsing

Khan awoke to the smell of food. It wasn't as fresh, and there was an odd silence.

_Oh. That's right. Allora had to go to work..._

He shifted out of bed and went downstairs. He found a pile of sunny-side-up eggs and plate full of bacon that Allora had left him. He sat down, eating it slowly. Her absence made him feel terribly lonely. Meanwhile, Allora stood in a dim lit room with a science officer. A computer hummed, echoing around her in the medium sized office. The officer, who sat in front of the computer, began to type data in - data Allora had added on to his already long list.

One wall's purpose was to serve as somewhere to have 6D images projected. The images were of inhabitable planets within a perfect distance - not too far, not too near. As he enetered the data, information on what Khan's race needed, a couple of the handfuls of planets disappeared from the map. Allora stepped into the middle of the projected images. Light bathed her body, virtual stars flying lazily by her. It was similar enough to being in the real space, and a wave of lust for adventure coarsed through her veins. Khan would be her pass to said adventures one day...

"What do you see?"Asked the blue shirted man behind her.

"Oh. Nothing." Allora answered after a moment.

Her fingers danced about some of the globes, spinning them gently. She tapped one absently, pulling up a dialog box. It gave her a basic overview of the planet, describing it's vital resources. The captain took notes of this on a touch screen tablet. She did this with several other ones before walking out of the heavenly collection of holograms. The room darkened as the projections were shut off, but brightened straight away as the lights flashed on. Allora squeezed her eyes shut, blinking instinctively.

"Ah, Captain Evans." A voice spoke.

It wasn't the science officer, but another captain. One she particulary didn't like very much. Her eyes focused on the yellow figure. 

"Morning, Kirk." She didn't budge, holding her ground.

"I see you're researching-." He took a few steps closer.

"Just finished, actually." She turned off the screen of her tablet to make a point of this.

"Ah, so you'll be relocating Khan sooner than planned?"

"Not entirely."

He looked around the room, then back to her. 

"Thats a shame. Bones will appreciate them staying longer, but I think we should just dispose of them. Never know when someone might unfreeze one of those savage people again."

_Savage. Theres that damn word again that doesn't quite sound right._

Allora held back a knowing smirk, thinking of Khan sitting in her home as he spoke. There was a silence as Kirk looked off distantly, thinking of what he had said, crossing his arms.

"Nice seeing you again, but I have some paperwork to get done." Allora began to walk past, holding the tablet to her chest protectively.

Kirk snorted, replying, "You should relax more. Get a boyfriend, go to a party. I only see you at work - working."

She stopped, looking back while holding back a scowl. 

"Gotta make a living somehow. Not everyone is paid despite that they only party, break the rules, and worry over who they're going to sleep with next."

With that, she left, shutting the door silently behind her. She smirked triumphantly. Allora didn't like Kirk for a number of reasons. As implied above, mostly because of his "I-do-what-I-want" attitude. Secondly because he was always sleeping with every other girl in Starfleet ,or, really, any organismn up to it.  She quickly went to her office, sat at her desk, and typed up her report. 

* * *

  "I'm home!" She called out, shuting the door behind her.

  The house seemed empty, her words echoing off the walls. She looked to the basement door. Open. Allora descended the stairs into the musty basement - except it wasn't as musty as it was sour. Sure enough, one of his experiments was laid out on the table, but Khan was no where to be found. She coughed, making her way back up to the ground floor.

  "Khan?" She called out again, feeling a chill go up her spine. 

She didn't get a reply, nor could she hear anything stir. The young woman climbed the stairs. Both bedrooms were empty. That left one room: the attic. Why he would be there, she did not know. Allora did not find him there either.

_Oh no. He left me._

Her heart pounded, and she know rushed back to his room. She dove to the floor, throwing up the bedskirt of his bed. There lay his transporter still, just beginning to collect some dust. She sat up.

 _Kirk. That bastard. What if he has something to do with this?!_ Her heart pounded, face paling. 

Then she smelled something.

_The yard?_

 Allora slowly approached the window, and drew the curtain back. She made sure no one could see her from it. Her eyes widened, and she stared hard for a moment to make sure she had been seeing correctly. Her hand dropped the curtain, her legs ran her down the stairs, to the back door. Her hands yanked open the door.

"Kh-!" 

A hand covered her mouth.

"Shh. No ones supposed to know I'm here, right?" Khan chuckled, removing his hand. 

He turned a dial on the grill up, and began flipping the beef patties on it. Allora sat down on one of the patio chairs, recovering. She had really thought he was gone for a breif few minutes.

"Don't scare me like that next time...I thought Kirk had gotten to you. I possibly pissed him off today after he said something negative about you."

"I just thought I'd make dinner for us. And don't worry about Kirk. He doesn't have enough sober brain cells to work with." He replied, pulling out a test tube.

He nonchalantly poured a couple drops on to one of the cooking burgers.

"Alright...and thank you for cooking, but, what is that?" She gestured to the tube he began to slip back into his pocket.

"I'm also experimenting. It's a formula used to enhance the nutrients." He muttered in reply.

She exhaled calmly before giggling. 

"You're eating them first. I don't want you poisoning me after I spent quite a while researching planets for you."

"Neither would I. Don't worry, there's a couple I set aside for you." He chuckled, slightly smirking.

She wished he would just smile one day. Brightly. Genuinely.

"Thanks again. I'll go get plates."

* * *

The papers crinkled as Khan accepted them from Allora. His verdigris eyes scanned the text of the document. Here and there they paused. Other parts they rushed over. Some parts he simply stared. Perhaps Allora had written something helpful today. She slowly ate as she fixed her attention on him in anticipation. Finally, Khan set them down, sighing.

"Can't we just leave now? I'm sure a few of these would be perfect." Drawled Khan, angrily taking a bite of his augmented burger.

Allora felt a surge of excitement as he said this. She had collected something useful.

"Legally, no...Starfleet will want to pick a planet, research it, visit it, and prepare it theirselves before letting me even touch the cyrogenic pods...let alone my own ship and crew."

He nodded, rolling his eyes.

"I know, and we can't have Starfleet tracking us down if you were to secretly collect all of it and leave. Not any more than they _should_ be already."

"I'm sorry, but, hey, it seems like the data you provided cut off some time..."

"Of course it did. But not enough." He growled.

She sighed and collected her dishes, silently standing. He realized he had upset her.

"I...apoligize."

"No, it's fine." She set them in the sink and came back, sitting again.

"I know you just miss your family...and have been frustrated and angry. It's alright." Allora tentatively patted his hand.

"How about you take it out through some more experiments? Or relaxation? I could always put on a movie..."


End file.
